Planning crane shots

[halfgrain]

Dear Roger and everyone else,

I’m curious how you would go about planning shots that are only doable by using a crane. How do you determine that

a) the perspective from higher up will actually really be the perspective you want and look as desired

b) how high you will have to be in order to achieve the composition you have in mind?

I’m curious, since most other shots are “foreseeable” by taking photographs and getting into the spot where the camera will be, but not on a crane shot. Have you used high risers to test certain perspectives or drones? Do you simply go with a bigger crane when in doubt so you have all the freedom in finding the right camera position on the day?

As an example, how did you know the establishing shot for the gas station in NCFOM would work?

Thanks!

Ingo

Topic

[Roger Deakins]

I suggest it comes from intuition and experience. A lens width is the same on a horizontal plane as it is in a vertical one. So the width of a shot on a similar lens translates one to one.

[Author]

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